Italian Open results: Rafael Nadal beats Alexander Zverev in Rome to return to world No 1

Italian Open results: Rafael Nadal beats Alexander Zverev in Rome to return to world No 1

RAFAEL NADAL has returned to the top of the world rankings after beating Alexander Zverev in the Italian Open final.

Published 20th May 2018

REUTERS

Rafael Nadal beat Alexander Zverev in the Italian Open final

Nadal, who lost top spot to Roger Federer earlier this month when he was knocked out of the Madrid Open in the quarter-finals by Dominic Thiem, has been in dominant form in Rome all week but found Zverev a tough nut to crack.

The Spaniard breezed the first set but a reversal in the second ensured that the final went all the way.

A rain break drew play to a halt in the third set but Nadal regained his composure to win the tournament.